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Artifact (Treasury)
Artifacts are magical objects from the world of Treasury. The magic they then grant to the people who touch them is the only known magic in that world. Origin When someone in Treasury dies and has a very cherished object, it has a slim chance of becoming an artifact. The traits of the artifact will have to do with the personality of whoever leaves them behind, but not in any particularly systematic way. Most people, by far, don't leave artifacts when they die - either for lack of a suitably precious object or by the sheer odds against it. Properties Artifacts all: *Are durable. They are not literally indestructible, but conventional knocking-around won't leave a scratch on them. *Have both a main effect (generally positive) and a side effect (generally negative). For more information, see Touched. *'Stack' with other artifacts. If you touch multiple artifacts, all of their effects will be operative on you at the same time. If they interfere with each other particularly badly, this can certainly be deadly. *Can be molded. Someone who has touched an artifact can nudge its properties a little bit in directions that they approve of, as long as they are touching it. This can improve its main effect, mitigate its side effect, or both. These changes only apply to people who first touch the artifact after they are made, and cannot retroactively change it for existing touched. This kind of change is very, very gradual but it also doesn't require concentration, merely physical contact and intention. Known Artifacts Most of the following artifacts are in the possession of the University of Drofnfjord unless otherwise specified. Other artifacts certainly exist, but the University owns an unusually large number because of their possession of the hunting horn. Knife The knife had been plaguing the Treasury equivalent of Scandinavia for about a hundred years. Very unusually among artifacts, it has an effect that can take hold on people who have not touched it. From a distance, people within its radius are compelled to walk towards it and touch it, picking it up if it's not already in someone's hand. Its touched, called "cut", appear to lose most higher mental functioning (including the ability to use any at-will magic ability) and work to move the knife around more or less at random. Its positive effect appears to be a complete insensitivity to pain. People who pass into and then out of its range without touching it do not experience after effects. It is currently encased in concrete at the bottom of the ocean after being captured by Aldaras Sarbror. Zevaia Sarbror has touched the knife. Hunting Horn The horn's positive effect is to allow its touched, called "trackers", to hear sounds associated with the nearest artifact. Its side effect is that trackers are incapable of withholding salient information from their favorite people, called their "keepers"; trying causes crippling, crushing guilt. The University of Drofnfjord allows people to touch the horn only if they agree to give the University the right to confiscate any artifacts they find that are deemed dangerous. Aldaras Sarbror has touched the horn. Lap Harp The harp's positive effect allows its touched to inspect the properties of artifacts without touching them, though the process takes a few hours and turns up information only in bits and pieces, which cannot be directed. Its side effect is the need to sleep for twenty hours a day. Only one person at a time has touched the harp, and they are employed by the University with the title Dean of Analysis. The Dean is responsible for analyzing new artifacts obtained by the University and, when none are available, molding the harp to reduce the severity of its side effect. Necklace The necklace is an artifact found by Aldaras Sarbror. Its positive effect is immunity to mental magic, including the ranged effect of the knife, but not including mental side effects of itself or other artifacts that its touched have also touched. Its side effect is propensity for love at first sight similar to that experienced by diamond vampires. Aldaras had given the necklace to the University, but has reclaimed it since the theft of the thimble. Aldaras, Zevaia, Annabelline Swan and Sintre have touched the necklace, in addition to those rescued from the knife and those who wished to protect themselves from the thimble. Thimble The thimble's touched can read minds at a distance of several yards and also experience near-constant verbal tics compelling them to swear at the top of their lungs - they can talk and eat, but the tic will sneak in between words/bites. It is currently in the possession of an unknown thief. Rocking Chair The chair allows its touched to turn invisible, but gives them an overpowering phobia of shoelaces. It is reasonably common for there to be shoelaces attached to the entrances of buildings that contain expensive objects, as a holdover from a time before the chair was under responsible gatekeeping. Globe The globe is a textured desk globe which allows its touched to fall into a non-sleep trance and project astral forms of themselves to listen in anywhere on the planet in real time. Both the person's body and their astral form are completely blind. Vase The vase is an ornamental flower vase which gives its touched the power to teleport. They also find that water causes barely-endurable agony if it comes into contact with any part of their surface, including in the form of humidity, sweat, or their own saliva in their mouths. Intravenous fluids don't exacerbate this problem. Bicycle The bicycle is an old-fashioned bike which confers on its touched super-speed, and also dissolves all of the bones in their feet, making it prudent to either amputate the feet in favor of prostheses or to make use of assistive devices. Comb The comb is a bejeweled hair ornament which allows its touched to see and hear past times of their choice at whatever location they are standing in. It renders them unmeliorably illiterate and unable to write, to the point where they can't even draw symbols in languages they have never seen before such that someone else can read them. Cup Aldaras encounters a man bringing a cup to the University of Drofnfjord. It belonged to his grandmother, and he did not realize she loved it enough for it to turn upon her death. Its main effect allows its touched to create controllable visual illusions within a one-foot radius of themselves, and its side effect appears to cause its touched to, when meeting someone new, immediately say whatever would most upset that person. The information does not need to be true, just upsetting. Tapestry The tapestry was in a museum until it was stolen by the same thief who stole the thimble. It grants its touched sharply improved sensory discernment - including, in a few long-ago but well-documented trials, senses granted by other artifacts - at the cost of muteness. Category:Magic Category:Incandescence Category:Treasury